Bagpipes

ABSTRACT

A bag for a bagpipe is made by fitting in selected points of a sheet of plastics material stock mountings for pipes, each comprising a flanged tubular body having its flange against one surface of the sheet, its tubular body projecting through an aperture in the sheet, and a clamping member on said body on the opposite side of the sheet, pressing the sheet against said flange in substantially air-tight conditon, and thereafter folding over said sheet and heat-sealing aligned edges to close the bag. The sealed edge of the bag may be strengthened by stitching and/or a folded-over edge strip. Each stock projecting externally of the bag is adapted to have a pipe removably fitted thereon, and held by friction. The stock may have a covering of yieldable material, e.g., adhesive tape.

[Ill 3,756,112

1 1 Sept. 4, 1973 I BAGPIPES [76] Inventor: William John Campbell Adams, 77

Green Ln., West Ewell, Surrey, England 22 Filed: Mar. 20, 1972 21 App1.No.:235,964

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 12/1914 Great Britain 84/380 Primary ExaminerRichard B. Wilkinson Assistant ExaminerLawrence R. Franklin Att0rneylrvin S. Thompson et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT A bag for a bagpipe is made by fitting in selected points of a sheet of plastics material stock mountings for pipes, each comprising a flanged tubular body having its flange against one surface of the sheet, its tubular body projecting through an aperture in the sheet, and a clamping member on said body on the opposite side of the sheet, pressing the sheet against said flange in substantially air-tight conditon, and thereafter folding over said sheet and heat-sealing aligned edges to close the bag. The sealed edge of the bag may be strengthened by stitching and/or a folded-over edge strip. Each stock projecting externally of the bag is adapted to have a pipe removably fitted thereon, and held by friction. The stock may have a covering of yieldable material, e.g., adhesive tape.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patnted Sept. 4, 1973 3 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Sept. 4, 1973 3,756,112

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 4, 1973 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 BAGPIPES This invention relates to bagpipes.

In bagpipes heretofore produced the bag has been made of leather, suitably treated to render it airtight, in which holes are cut each to receive the stock of a pipe, the leather being gathered round, and bound to, the pipe stock. This laborious operation does not always secure, or subsequently maintain, an airtight connection of the pipe, and one object of the present invention is to provide a satisfactory alternative manner of fitting the pipes to the bag.

The invention consists in a bagpipe stock for mounting a pipe comprising a tubular nozzle or nipple aligned with a hole in the bag material and clamped to the bag by co-operating components on opposite faces of the material, a part of the nozzle or nipple upstanding from the material being adapted to receive a pipe.

The nozzle or nipple may be externally screwthreaded so that a clamping ring can be screwed thereon. This clamping ring may clamp the bag material against a like clamping ring on the opposite side of the bag material, or against a flange of the nozzle or nipple. The outer projecting portion of the nozzle or nipple may be adapted to have a pipe stock screwed or slidably fitted thereon, or it may receive, slidably or by screw engagement, a tubular spigotlike attachment to which the pipe stock may be fitted. Sealing means may be provided to render airtight the pipe stock fitting. Several nozzles of the aforesaid kind may be fitted to the sheet material from which the bag is to be made, while in substantially flat condition, whereafter it is formed into a bag.

The use of nozzles to support the pipes allows the use of materials alternative to leather, and according to another feature of the invention a bag for pipes is made from sheet plastics material, e.g., polyvinyl chloride, or polythene, preferably transparent. In this case the edges of the sheet, when folded together to form a bag after the desired nozzles have been fitted, may be secured together by heat sealing and/or stitching and/or a folded-over external sealing strip.

The invention will be clearly understood from the form (given, however, merely by way of example) which it may assume, and this description will be more readily followed by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein FIG. 1 represents a side view of a bag for bagpipes in accordance with the invention:

FIGS. 2 and 3 represent respectively in exploded perspective and in sectional elevation, an enlarged view of a pipe-supporting nozzle as incorporated in the bag shown in FIG. 1:

FIG. 4 represents in perspective an alternative mode of fitting a stock-supporting nozzle or nipple to the material of a bag for pipes in accordance with the invention: and

FIGS. 5 and 6 represent two alternative arrangements for drying the interior of a bag in accordance with the invention.

In carrying the invention into effect in one convenient manner, as shown in the aforesaid drawings, an airbag for bagpipes may be formed of transparent sheet plastics material, e.g., polyvinyl chloride or polyethlyene, of suitable thickness, cut to substantially heart shape, the halves being folded together about the centre line of the blank to bring together the opposite curved edges. Such a folded blank is shown at 1 in FIG.

1. As will be described below the bag is formed by securing together the aligned edges of this folded blank, but prior to this final operation the blank is provided with means for detachably fitting pipes externally thereto when the bag is made up.

These means each comprise a nozzle or nipple secured to the sheet material at a selected point. In the bag shown in FIG. 1 are provided five such nozzles, of which nozzles 2, 3 and 4 are fairly closely spaced adjacent to the upper edge of the bag to receive drones, another nozzle 5 is located in a more forward position in a side of the bag to receive a blowpipe, and the other nozzle 6 at the forward tip of the bag to receive the chanter.

Each nozzle may be of the form shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, comprising an externally screw-threaded tube 7 with a head flange 8, and a clamping ring 9 adapted to screw on to the tube 7. A hole 10 is cut in the bag material 1 to fit the tube 7 which is inserted therein through a washer 11, the flange and washer abutting on that face of the material 1 which is to form the inner surface of the finished bag. On the opposite side of the sheet I a sealing member such as an O-ring l2 fitted on to the tube 7 is pressed against the sheet by the clamping ring 9 screwed down on the tube 7, so that the sheet 1 is securely held in sealed condition between the washer 11 and ring 12.

When these nozzles have been attached to the sheet, the blank is folded in half, as mentioned above, (and at this stage may enclose a sponge 13 for moisture control inside the finished bag), and the aligned edges secured together in airtight condition. Preferably an edge zone along the folded blank is first heat-sealed, and thereafter strengthened by stitching, and finally overlaid with a folded adhesive edge-strip 14 for final sealing and strength.

The projecting outer ends of the nozzle tubes 7 may be adapted directly to receive the stocks of the pipes to be fitted to the bag; e.g., the stocks may be internally screw-threaded to screw on to the nozzles, or the outer ends of the nozzles 7 may have smooth, unthreaded, outer surfaces so that the stocks may fit slidably thereon. Alternatively, as shown, each nozzle 7 may be provided with a spigot-like adaptor to receive the stock of a pipe. Each adaptor may be in the form of a corklike or stopper-like body comprising a tubular body 15 with a flanged head 16 having a central screwthreaded aperture to screw on to the nozzle 7, the edge of the body wall at the opposite end being chamfered, as illustrated at 17. Alternatively the flanged head 16 may have a smooth-walled central bore for slidable fit on the nozzle 7 (which may in this case have a cooperating smooth wall at its outer end). The adaptor is of such dimensions that a pipe 18, e.g., a drone, can be slidably and removably fitted thereon (FIG. 3). A seal may be provided on the outside of the body 15, e.g., by binding on it a hemp or like thread 19 which is moistened before the pipe is fitted thereon so that it will swell and form an airtight seal. 7

When the bag has been formed and the various pipes fitted to it, it may be encased in an outer tartan covering (not shown) and to prevent slip there may be attached, at each of one or more suitablepoints on the outer surface of the plastics bag, a strip 20 of adhesive material having a roughened surface. It will be appreciated that in the case of the bag shown in FIG. l when held under a players arm, the folded edge of the sheet material forms the lower edge of the bag.

The purpose of the sponge 13 is to absorb moisture collecting in the bag, and from time to time the chanter may be removed from the tip of the bag and the sponge squeezed between the bag walls to expel most of the collected moisture.

An alternative fitting of a nipple or nozzle to receive a stock is illustrated in FIG. 4. In this case a tubular nip ple or nozzle 21 with a head 22 (not unlike the member 15, 16 shown in FIG. 3) is fitted in the hole of the bag material 1 with the head 22 abutting on the surface of the material 1 which is to form the inner surface of the bag, and a resilient ring 23 e.g. of rubber is fitted tightly on the nozzle 21 against the outer surface of the material to hold the nipple or nozzle, and to serve as a seal. Both the outer and the inner surfaces of the nozzle or nipple 21 may be smooth. If desired a hollow tubular plug 24 with external ring-ribs 25 may be fitted into the mouth of the nozzle or nipple 21 for added strength. The outer surface of the fitted nozzle or nipple may be bound with hemp or the like (as shown in FIG. 2) or, preferably, with adhesive tape 26, for strength and to provide a yieldable surface on which can be telescoped a pipe, (such as 18, FIG. 3). When the desired number of nipples or nozzleshave been fitted into the suitably shaped material 1 for the bag, the material is folded over and sealed at the edge as previously described.

While the sheeting for the bag may be of any suitable material, it has been found that a p.v.c. sheeting sold under the Trade Mark Dinyl" is appropriate. This can conveniently be edge-sealed by a strip of adhesive imitation leather canvas backed p.v.c., which is folded over the contiguous edges of the material 1, covered with metal foil, and sealed by application of heat (e.g., with a domestic hot iron) whereafter the meat foil is removed.

To facilitate manipulation of the sponge 13 (FIG. 1) inside the bag, the sponge may be attached to a strong thread 27 with a ring 28 at its free end. The sponge is sufficiently small and compressible to force through a nipple or nozzle into the bag, whereafter it can be moved about, to absorb moisture, by means of the thread 27, and subsequently removed in like manner.

If desired, to facilitate this operation, the sponge may be formed of a plurality of smaller sections 13a, separately attached to the thread 27, as shown in FIG. 6.

From the above description it will be seen that the invention provides a convenient form of bag for bagpipes, but it should be understood that the invention is not limited solely to the details of the form described above which may be modified, in order to meet various conditions and requirements encountered, without departing from the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

l. Bagpipes for skilled performance comprising an air bag made of sheet plastic material, a set of drones, a blowpipe and a chanter each mounted on said bag by mounting means, said mounting means comprising a tubular body having an external surface free from screw threads and a peripheral flange at one end, said body extending through an aperture in said bag with the said peripheral flange abutting on the inner surface of said bag, a clamping component fitted telescopically onto the tubular body projecting from the outer surface of the bag and pressing the bag against said flange in substantially airtight condition, and sealing means surrounding said tubular body, each of said drones, blowpipe and chanter having one end telescopically fitted about said sealing means and said tubular body.

2. Bagpipes according to claim 1 wherein said clamping component is a resilient ring fitted onto the said tubular body.

3. Bagpipes according to claim 1 comprising a yieldable material applied to the outer surface of said tubular body externally of the bag.

4. Bagpipes according to claim 1 comprising a layer of adhesive tape applied to the outer surface of said tubular body externally of the bag.

5. Bagpipes according to claim 1 provided with means for absorbing moisture accumulating in the bag, comprising a sponge loosely but permanently accom' modated inside the bag.

6. Bagpipes according to claim 1 wherein the bag accommodates a sponge attached to a manipulating filament extending out of the bag through a stock mount ing. 

1. Bagpipes for skilled performance comprising an air bag made of sheet plastic material, a set of drones, a blowpipe and a chanter each mounted on said bag by mounting means, said mounting means comprising a tubular body having an external surface free from screw threads and a peripheral flange at one end, said body extending through an aperture in said bag with the said peripheral flange abutting on the inner surface of said bag, a clamping component fitted telescopically onto the tubular body projecting from the outer surface of the bag and pressing the bag against said flange in substantially airtight condition, and sealing means surrounding said tubular body, each of said drones, blowpipe and chanter having one end telescopically fitted about said sealing means and said tubular body.
 2. Bagpipes according to claim 1 wherein said clamping component is a resilient ring fitted onto the said tubular body.
 3. Bagpipes according to claim 1 comprising a yieldable material applied to the outer surface of said tubular body externallY of the bag.
 4. Bagpipes according to claim 1 comprising a layer of adhesive tape applied to the outer surface of said tubular body externally of the bag.
 5. Bagpipes according to claim 1 provided with means for absorbing moisture accumulating in the bag, comprising a sponge loosely but permanently accommodated inside the bag.
 6. Bagpipes according to claim 1 wherein the bag accommodates a sponge attached to a manipulating filament extending out of the bag through a stock mounting. 